A DeLand-area mother was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Monday, after entering an open plea in a case prosecutors say involved repeated beatings and torture of her 5-year-old son. Volusia County investigators say videos and medical exams show the boy suffered extensive injuries over time. The sentence caps a criminal investigation that began in 2023 and led to dozens of charges against two adults tied to the home.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, deputies recovered multiple recordings showing the child being struck, bound, and punished inside the family residence. The sheriff’s release says the footage showed the boy with his hands tied behind his back for hours, and at times placed inside a dog cage while being denied food.
What investigators found
Medical staff later documented dozens of visible injuries and internal trauma, including burns and a fractured skull, according to reporting by ClickOrlando. That reporting noted roughly 46 visible injuries identified during earlier hospital exams. Investigators also allege another child in the home was forced to drink or was sprayed with boiling water, and that a third child with a medical condition was not receiving proper care.
Sheriff's reaction
Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who publicly condemned the couple when they were charged in 2023, said watching the videos was sickening and would “churns your stomach,” according to ClickOrlando. Chitwood told reporters the defendants had “stole those kids’ futures” as his office laid out the abuse to the public.
Sentence and legal status
Schaefer entered an open plea and received a 60-year prison term on counts prosecutors identified as aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, and tampering with a witness in a life-felony proceeding, according to CBS Miami. Her boyfriend, Shawn Stone, who was arrested after the child was taken to a hospital in May 2023, still faces numerous charges and remains in custody awaiting trial, officials say.
How the case began
The probe started in May 2023 when deputies say Schaefer called 911 after checking home surveillance footage that showed her son being struck. The ensuing investigation uncovered multiple additional videos and corroborating text messages, local outlets reported. Authorities removed the children from the home and filed a wide slate of criminal counts that carried through to this week’s courtroom proceedings.
What's next
Stone’s case remains pending in the Volusia court system, and prosecutors have not disclosed a trial date in recent reporting. Sheriff’s officials and child-welfare agencies say the broader investigation remains active and are urging anyone with information to contact the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
